Van Oord has ordered two trailing suction hopper dredgers with a hopper capacity of 10,500 m3 each. Two fine examples of Van Oord’s sustainability ambitions, because both vessels will be fitted with an LNG installation. Keppel Singmarine Pte Ltd will build the vessels at its yard in Singapore.

The order is in line with Van Oord's innovative investment programme. The new hoppers will replace existing vessels and fit in with Van Oord’s aim of making its fleet more economical and energy efficient. Both vessels will be delivered in 2021. Each one has a hopper capacity of approximately 10,500 m3 and measures 138 metres in length and 28 metres across the beam. The vessels will be equipped with one suction pipe with submerged e-driven dredge pump, two shore discharge dredge pumps, five bottom doors, and a total installed power of 14,500 kW. They will have accommodation for 22 persons.

Paul Verheul, COO: 'These state-of-the-art vessels will boost the mid-class section of our fleet of trailing suction hopper dredgers. Last month we launched our first LNG powered crane vessel. By investing in these two hoppers, we’ll be gaining more experience using LNG as an alternative fuel in this category of dredging equipment.’

The engineering team paid special attention to the vessels’ energy efficiency. Both hoppers qualify as Tier III vessels (IMO emission standards) and will be fitted with Dual Fuel engines. The design includes several features that will reduce fuel consumption, and consequently carbon emissions, by a considerable margin. The vessels are being equipped with innovative and sustainable systems and will obtain a Green Passport and Clean Ship Notation. Van Oord has designed the vessels in-house in cooperation with DEKC Maritime from the Netherlands.

The new vessels will be Dutch flagged. Currently Van Oord’s fleet consists of more than one hundred vessels with over twenty trailing suction hopper dredgers with a capacity from 1,000 m3 up to 38,000 m3. Van Oord operates these trailing suction hopper dredgers for a wide range of global activities, such as coastal protection, port construction, deepening waterways and land reclamation.